diff --git a/plugins/notifications-backend/src/service/router.ts b/plugins/notifications-backend/src/service/router.ts
index a31f47861f..3611d407a3 100644
--- a/plugins/notifications-backend/src/service/router.ts
+++ b/plugins/notifications-backend/src/service/router.ts
@@ -180,6 +180,14 @@ export async function createRouter(
       return;
     }
     await store.markRead({ user_ref: user, ids });
+
+    if (signalService) {
+      await signalService.publish({
+        recipients: [user],
+        message: { action: 'refresh' },
+        channel: 'notifications',
+      });
+    }
     res.status(200).send({ ids });
   });
 
@@ -191,6 +199,13 @@ export async function createRouter(
       return;
     }
     await store.markUnread({ user_ref: user, ids });
+    if (signalService) {
+      await signalService.publish({
+        recipients: [user],
+        message: { action: 'refresh' },
+        channel: 'notifications',
+      });
+    }
     res.status(200).send({ ids });
   });
 
@@ -243,7 +258,6 @@ export async function createRouter(
     }
 
     const baseNotification = {
-      id: uuid(),
       title,
       description,
       link,
@@ -252,7 +266,7 @@ export async function createRouter(
     };
 
     for (const user of users) {
-      let notification = { ...baseNotification, userRef: user };
+      let notification = { ...baseNotification, id: uuid(), userRef: user };
       for (const processor of processors ?? []) {
         notification = processor.decorate
           ? await processor.decorate(notification)
@@ -271,7 +285,7 @@ export async function createRouter(
     if (signalService) {
       await signalService.publish({
         recipients: entityRef === null ? null : users,
-        message: { action: 'refresh' },
+        message: { action: 'refresh', title, description, link },
         channel: 'notifications',
       });
     }
diff --git a/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsPage/NotificationsPage.tsx b/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsPage/NotificationsPage.tsx
index 20b106f6f2..41db91b9cf 100644
--- a/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsPage/NotificationsPage.tsx
+++ b/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsPage/NotificationsPage.tsx
@@ -38,21 +38,29 @@ const useStyles = makeStyles(_theme => ({
 
 export const NotificationsPage = () => {
   const [type, setType] = useState<NotificationType>('unread');
+  const [refresh, setRefresh] = React.useState(false);
 
-  const { loading, error, value, retry } = useNotificationsApi(
+  const { error, value, retry } = useNotificationsApi(
     api => api.getNotifications({ type }),
     [type],
   );
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (refresh) {
+      retry();
+      setRefresh(false);
+    }
+  }, [refresh, setRefresh, retry]);
+
   const { lastSignal } = useSignal('notifications');
   useEffect(() => {
     if (lastSignal && lastSignal.action === 'refresh') {
-      retry();
+      setRefresh(true);
     }
-  }, [lastSignal, retry]);
+  }, [lastSignal]);
 
   const onUpdate = () => {
-    retry();
+    setRefresh(true);
   };
 
   const styles = useStyles();
@@ -95,7 +103,6 @@ export const NotificationsPage = () => {
             <NotificationsTable
               notifications={value}
               type={type}
-              loading={loading}
               onUpdate={onUpdate}
             />
           </Grid>
diff --git a/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsSideBarItem/NotificationsSideBarItem.tsx b/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsSideBarItem/NotificationsSideBarItem.tsx
index 255105a499..6dfa0ebb75 100644
--- a/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsSideBarItem/NotificationsSideBarItem.tsx
+++ b/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsSideBarItem/NotificationsSideBarItem.tsx
@@ -27,14 +27,51 @@ export const NotificationsSidebarItem = () => {
     api.getStatus(),
   );
   const [unreadCount, setUnreadCount] = React.useState(0);
+  const [webNotificationPermission, setWebNotificationPermission] =
+    React.useState('default');
   const notificationsRoute = useRouteRef(rootRouteRef);
-
   const { lastSignal } = useSignal('notifications');
+  const [webNotifications, setWebNotifications] = React.useState<
+    Notification[]
+  >([]);
+  const [refresh, setRefresh] = React.useState(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if ('Notification' in window && webNotificationPermission === 'default') {
+      window.Notification.requestPermission().then(permission => {
+        setWebNotificationPermission(permission);
+      });
+    }
+  }, [webNotificationPermission]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (refresh) {
+      retry();
+      setRefresh(false);
+    }
+  }, [refresh, retry]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (lastSignal && lastSignal.action === 'refresh') {
-      retry();
+      if (
+        webNotificationPermission === 'granted' &&
+        'title' in lastSignal &&
+        'description' in lastSignal &&
+        'link' in lastSignal
+      ) {
+        const notification = new Notification(lastSignal.title as string, {
+          body: lastSignal.description as string,
+        });
+        notification.onclick = function (event) {
+          event.preventDefault();
+          notification.close();
+          window.open(lastSignal.link as string, '_blank');
+        };
+        setWebNotifications(prev => [...prev, notification]);
+      }
+      setRefresh(true);
     }
-  }, [lastSignal, retry]);
+  }, [lastSignal, webNotificationPermission]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!loading && !error && value) {
@@ -42,6 +79,13 @@ export const NotificationsSidebarItem = () => {
     }
   }, [loading, error, value]);
 
+  document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => {
+    if (document.visibilityState === 'visible') {
+      webNotifications.forEach(n => n.close());
+      setWebNotifications([]);
+    }
+  });
+
   // TODO: Figure out if the count can be added to hasNotifications
   return (
     <SidebarItem
diff --git a/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsTable/NotificationsTable.tsx b/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsTable/NotificationsTable.tsx
index 1ebd63e1d4..3f89e590cf 100644
--- a/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsTable/NotificationsTable.tsx
+++ b/plugins/notifications/src/components/NotificationsTable/NotificationsTable.tsx
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ import { notificationsApiRef } from '../../api';
 import { useApi } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
 import Inbox from '@material-ui/icons/Inbox';
 import CloseIcon from '@material-ui/icons/Close';
-import { Skeleton } from '@material-ui/lab';
 // @ts-ignore
 import RelativeTime from 'react-relative-time';
 import ArrowForwardIcon from '@material-ui/icons/ArrowForward';
@@ -79,10 +78,9 @@ const useStyles = makeStyles(theme => ({
 export const NotificationsTable = (props: {
   onUpdate: () => void;
   type: NotificationType;
-  loading?: boolean;
   notifications?: Notification[];
 }) => {
-  const { notifications, type, loading } = props;
+  const { notifications, type } = props;
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const styles = useStyles();
   const [selected, setSelected] = useState<string[]>([]);
@@ -111,10 +109,6 @@ export const NotificationsTable = (props: {
     );
   };
 
-  if (loading) {
-    return <Skeleton variant="rect" height={200} />;
-  }
-
   return (
     <Table size="small" className={styles.table}>
       <TableHead>